In a resolute display, Punjab Kings outsmarted Mumbai Indians by seven wickets in a must-win encounter and assured themselves of a top-two finish in the IPL at the Sawai Mansingh stadium, Jaipur, on Monday, May 26, 2025.
The Shreyas Iyer-led side currently sit atop the points table with 19 points and will play Qualifier 1 against either Royal Challengers Bengaluru or Gujarat Titans.
RCB, who will take on Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025's final league match on Tuesday, need to win by a handsome margin to topple Punjab and secure the top spot.
Chasing 185 to seal a top-two spot, Punjab romped home with nine balls to spare, thanks to scintillating knocks from young opener Priyansh Arya and Aussie stumper-batter Josh Inglis.
Their 109 run association of 59 balls steadied the chase and turned the tide in Punjab's favour.
After Prabhsimran Singh (13 off 16 balls)'s easly exit, Arya and Inglis made it look easy with the ball zipping off the pitch in an apparent easing of batting conditions.
Inglis, who was acquired by Punjab for Rs 2.6 crore (Rs 26 million) made the most of his promotion to No. 3 with a clinical dissection of MI's attack.
After seeing off Jasprit Bumrah's first over in which he conceded just one run while picking Prabhsimran's wicket, the England-born Australian made his intentions clear by clubbing Deepak Chahar for a 76m six over deep mid-wicket.
Crafting one of the season's finest innings, Inglis used the crease to maximum effect. Putting his wide array of strokes on display, he smacked MI pacers all around the park and raced away to his half-century off 29 balls by nudging a short of a length delivery by Mumbai Skipper Hardik Pandya through square leg for a single.
Arya too completed his fifty in the same over, thumping Pandya over wide long-on for a maximum. He reached the milestone off just 27 balls and played the perfect foil to Inglis, who was pacing his innings with remarkable maturity.
When the bowlers erred in length, Inglis lofted them cleanly down the ground, while anything short was ruthlessly pulled through midwicket.
Arya Makes a Mark
Showcasing his ability to play unorthodox shots with incredible ease, Inglis sliced a short-pitched delivery from Pandya for a maximum over the third-man boundary. Interestingly, Pandya got a taste of his own medicine as it is one of his signature shots!
A look at the the MI's bowling card will tell the story of the combo's controlled aggression. While Bumrah maintained an economy of 5.75, Chahar recorded the next best economy of 9.33. All other five bowlers went for over 10 runs an over, with Ashwani Kumar (16) and Pandya (14.50) receiving some harsh treatment.
Arya departed in the 15th over, offering a catch to Suryakumar Yadav while trying to loft Mitchell Santner over long-off. His 35-ball 62 contained nine fours and two sixes.
Thereafter, Inglis slowed things down a bit, picking singles and rotating strike, allowing skipper Shreyas Iyer to play the role of aggressor.
His match-defining knock of 73 off 42 balls (9x4, 3x6) came to an end in the 18th over as Santner trapped him plumb in front while attempting a scoop off a length delivery around middle and leg.
Top Chasers
Punjab needed just 14 off 15 balls when Inglis returned to the dugout, and Shreyas and Nehal Wadhera upped the ante as the winning line drew nearer, taking just six more balls to seal the deal.
As Punjab gear up to enter the final after 11 long years, Inglis's versatility and adaptability could be a potent point of difference for them.
Photographs: BCCI
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